Tricks of the Trade : How to Sell Your Stuff on eBay

Have some extra stuff in the attic you need to get rid of? Or do you want to start up your own business? eBay makes it easy to reach interested buyers and make money… all online.

Yes, you can stay in your pajamas and make money at the same time!

But if you’re new to eBay, it could seem overwhelming to get started. You may wonder, how do you attract the right buyers? And what’s the best way to go about selling your stuff?

To cut the confusion, let’s look at several tips and tricks to sell your stuff on eBay the right way.

It’s All in the Details

When listing an item on eBay, your goal should be to take all the guesswork out of it for the shopper. They shouldn’t need to ask any questions and will know exactly what they’re getting if they buy your item.

But, if you’re a newcomer, that may sound easier said than done.

Think about it this way: Because the shopper can’t pick up the item and inspect it for themselves, you need to describe it in a way that makes them feel as if they did.

Those details can include:

The material it is made out of (sometimes that may be several different materials)

Measurements

Weight

Color

Any and all defects or flaws

Age of the item

Where it was made

How many times it’s been used

Basically, any detail that will describe the item down to a T.

And if you find yourself stumped on how to do this, take a look around at other listings! Browse through those that are selling a similar item as yours. Don’t copy them, but get inspiration from them.

Make It Picture Perfect

Even though your item’s description is now outlined to perfection, the shopper will still need to see the item itself. That’s when it’s time to have a photo shoot.

One of your photos will become the main listing picture. For this, you want to make sure your item looks as attractive and professional as possible. It will attract the most buyers to click on your listing.

Then take 8-12 photos of the item from every angle. Get close-ups of any flaws so the buyer can see it in detail.

And make sure the photos are crisp and clear. Blurry photos will only deter shoppers and make your listing look amateur.

Optimize Your eBay Listing

To get the right eyes on your item, you want your listing to be easy for your target customer to find. To do that, you need to need to optimize your listing with keywords.

When shoppers search for an item on eBay, the website uses the keywords they type in and will search for them in the title of each listing. So, for your target customer to find you, you need to have targeted keywords in your own listing title.

All you have to do is think about all the possible words someone would use to search for your item and place as many of them in your title as possible (while still having it make sense!).

For example, if you’re selling a red dress, using the title “Red Dress” is too broad. You want to narrow it down by using a title like “New Size 8 Sleeveless Red Lace Dress”. Now you’re listing more words that your customers may be using to find an item just like yours.

If you need help coming up with these keywords, eBay listing analytics websites have tips and tricks on how to use the best keywords for you.

Don’t Give Your Customer a Reason to Go Elsewhere

Not only do you want to have the right information on your listing, you want to supply plenty of incentives for people to buy from you and not someone else. This can take the form of several different things.

Such as, a Buy Now option. Many shoppers are all about instant gratification. By giving them the option to buy your item on the spot instead of waiting until the end of an auction, they won’t go searching for the item elsewhere.

Free Shipping is another perk many shoppers look for. Even though you can build the price of shipping into your item amount to cover your costs, seeing the words “Free Shipping” instantly makes the listing more attractive.

Many buyers love to negotiate. If you’re open to this, using the Best Offer feature opens up your listing to many more opportunities.

And taking the time to build up your eBay reputation can pay off big for you. Because many buyers won’t do business with a seller who doesn’t have any feedback left for them.

A good way to start this out is by buying a few things yourself. This will give those sellers an opportunity to leave you feedback on those purchases. Then others will be able to get the idea that you’re a reliable person to do business with.

Price Your Items Right

When selling on eBay, you need to find that sweet spot when it comes to pricing your items. Price it too high, no one will touch it. Price it too low, and you could sell your stuff for bargain basement prices unintentionally.

Do a search of completed items identical, or at least similar, to yours. See what they sold for. This will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay.

To grab the attention of buyers, you may consider starting your price a little lower than you normally would. Sometimes this can spark more bidding. You might even get a bidding war on your hands.

However, it’s best not to try that tactic on specialty items. People are more willing to pay a pretty penny for those and you could lose out.

Sell Your Stuff on eBay and Become a Pro

By having a few tricks up your sleeve, you can sell your stuff on eBay and make it look easy. Not to mention the extra cash you’ll have in your pocket to show for all your efforts.